hrong, Madeleine bowing and
smiling to her acquaintances, Maurice eagerly scanning the faces that
came towards him on the opposite side.

Suddenly, a stout gentleman, in gold spectacles, kid gloves tight to
bursting, and a brown frock coat, over the amplitude of which was slung
an opera-glass, started up from a corner, and, seizing both Madeleine's
hands, worked them up and down. At the same time, he made a ceremonious
little speech about the length of time that had elapsed since their
last meeting, and paid her a specious compliment on the taste she
displayed in being present at so serious an opera. Madeleine laughed,
and said a few words in her hard, facile German: the best was yet to
come; "DIE MORAN" was divine as Brunnhilde. Having bowed and said:
"Lohse" to Maurice, the stranger took no further notice of him, but,
drawing Madeleine's hand through his arm, in a manner half gallant,
half paternal, invited her to take ices with him, at the adjoining
buffet.

Maurice remained standing in a corner, scrutinising those who passed
him. He exchanged a few words with one of his companions of the
dinner-table--a small-bodied, big-headed chemical student called
Dickensey, who had a reputation for his cynicism. He had just asked
Maurice whether Siegmund reminded him more of a pork-butcher or a
prizefighter, and had offered to lay a bet that he would never attend a
performance in this theatre when the doors of Hunding's house flew
open, or the sword lit up, at exactly the right moment--when Maurice
caught sight of Dove and the Cayhills. He excused himself, and went to
join them.

Not one of the three looked happy. Johanna was unspeakably bored and
did not conceal it; she gazed with contempt on the noisy, excited
crowd. Dove was not only burning to devote himself to Ephie; he had
also got himself into a dilemma, and was at this moment doing his best
to explain the first act of the opera to Johanna, without touching on
the relationship of the lovers. His face was red with the effort, and
he hailed Maurice's appearance as a welcome diversion. But Ephie, too,
greeted him with pleasure, and touching his arm, drew him back, so that
they dropped behind the others. She was coquettishly dressed this
evening, and looked so charming that people drew one another's
attention to DIE REIZENDE KLEINE ENGLADNDERIN. But Maurice soon
discovered that she was out of spirits, and disposed to be cross. For
fear lest he was the offender, he asked